Fuel-control device for engines



April 7, 1931. L, F,TU'EL 1,799,542

FUEL CONTROL DEVICE FOR ENGINES Filed Aug. 5, 1929 INVENTOR Lsw/s F 7/54.

ATTORNEY5 Patented Apr. 7, 1931 V 1,79a542: j

PATENT OFFICE g v ,UNITED STATES LEWIS r. TUEL, on PLACENTIA, CALIFORNIA FUEL-CONTROL DEVICE FOR ENGINES Application-filed August 5, 1929. Serial No. 383,750.

My invention relates to and has for a purpose the provision of a device which 1n ltS'ZtS- sociation with the englne of a motor vehicle for example, is operable to discontinue the supply of fuel to the carburetor of the engine It is' another purpose of myinvention toprovide'a fuel control device of the above described character to supply a quantity of fuel to the carburetor of the engine after the:

engine has ceased operatinggasa result oft'he device functioning to discontinue the supply of fuel so as topermit operation of the engine despite lack of lubrication, should it be 7 necessary that the vehicle be driven under its one form of fuel control device embodying my invention, applied to an engine. Figure 2 is an. enlarged 'verticalsectional view of the fuel control device and illustrating the positions occupiedby the moving a device is associated, is in operation.

Figure 3 is, a viewsimilar to Figure 2 and illustratlng the positions occupied. by the moving parts of the device when operation of the enginehas ceased, and

Figure 4 is a horlzontal sectional view taken on the line line 4-4 of Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows, 59 Referring specifically to the drawings in I retor'C of the engine. The bottom wall of in the shapeof beveled disks.

a cylindrical passage 21'leading from the out- I let 13; and the valve is normally urged to own power to a place where lnspectlon and repairs can be made, or the engine operated one form of fuel con 7 latter to produce an annular shoulder 25 a g the c'ylindere24 is threaded a tubular plug- 26 part thereof when the engme Wlth Whlch the i to which is, connected a pipe, 27 --'brancl fingf which similar reference characters designate similar parts in each of the several views, my invention in its present embodiment comprises a substantially rectangular shaped body B formed of metal and having its upper t portion hollow to provide a chamber 10 having an inlet'll in its top wall which in the association of the fuel control device with the engine E of a motor vehicle, is connected 0 to a pipe 12 leading from the" vacuum tank (notshown) ofthe vehicles fuel system or from a suitable source of supply on the ve hicle so that fuel willbefree to flow into the chamber prior to'its delivery to the carbuthe chamber 10 is provided with a pain of ,outlets 13a-nd 14 controlled by valves 15 and 16 respectively, and in thefp'resent instance the outlets 13 and Mare formed to provide annular and beveled valve seats 17 and 18' respectively, for the valves,'which latter are The valve 15 is provided with astein 19 slidably mounted in a spider 20 supported in 7 close the outlet by means of a coil spring 22 surrounding the stem 19 and interposed between the spider. and a piston 23 fixedly secured to the stem in any suitable manner; The piston works in a cylinder 24; forming a continuation of the lower end of the passage. 21 and is ofslightly larger diameter than the against which the piston is} adapted to abut when moved against the action of the spring 22 to the extreme position, shown in Figure2 so as to definitelyv limit the open position" of i the valve 15. Into the iopenlower-end of from the pressure line of the oil pump 0 of v the engine. I The valve 16 is providedwith' astem 28 eX- tending freely through a second cylindrical sage 29 and separated from the latter by a partition 31 through which the stem extends.

To the stem 28 is secured, in any suitable is threaded a tubular plugg l to whichis connected a pipe 35 leading to the intake manifold I of the engineEg'and fronr-the passages 21 and 29 extend laterally, ducts 36 and 37 respectively, which communicate With a duct 38 into the end of which is, connected a pipe 39 leading, to the carburetor C of the engine. The top wall ofjthe chamber 10isprovide'd with a pair of screw plugs, 40 and 41,. whichwhen removed permit access to the chamber in order to assemble the Valves 15 and. 16 in the body 13, and the body when applied to the engine can be either supported .in the location shown in Figure 1 by the various pipes connected to the body or in any :-other suitable manner.

The operation of the deviceis as follows:

Let it be. assumed that the engine E is in operation and that the oil pump 0 is functioning properly to developthe pressure necessary'tocircu'late the requiredaznount of oil'in the engine. The pressure developed 'bv the oil pump will act through the pipe 2? and cylinder 24: on the piston 28 to move the latter and hence the valve 15, to the position' shown in Figure 2 wherein the valve 15 is opened against the action of its spring 22, whereas the. suction created in" the intake manifold I when. the engine is in operation 4-:1 will act through the pipe 35 and cylinder 30 to draw the piston 32 to the posit-ion shown in this figure wherein the value l6 is closed against the actionof its spring 38, so that fuel from the source of supply will be free to flow from the chamber 10 through the outlet 13, passage 21, duct'36, duct38, and pipe 39 to: the carburetor'Oj However, should the oil pump 0 cease operation: or for any reason fail to develop the necessary pressure to circulate the oil, thepiston'23 with the valve 15' willfbe moved under the action of the spring'22 to the positi'on-shown-in-Figure 8 wherein. the valve 15 ,"closes-theoutlet 13 so as to discontinue the supply, of fuel to; the carburetor C. When the fu'el' in the carburetor has been consumed, the engine will naturally cease operation; and when the engine has ceased operating, the absence of suction'in the in- -tak-e; manifold I 'will' render the A spring 83 free to move ;-the piston .32 with i the valve lfivtoithe position;'shownainzFigure 3: wherein. the outlet '14 is opened so: as to permitfuel to -flow from. the. chamber lO through the outlet14,.passage-29?, duct, .37, duct "88 and pipe 39 to the carburetor C and thus refill the latter.

The valve 15, although closed, will thus be rendered ineffective to prevent the supply of fuel to the carburetor when the operation of the engine ceases following failure of the lubricatin system ,to function properly, so that the engine can be operated despite the lack of proper lubrication, in order to permit the vehlcle to be driven under its own power should-facilitiesnotrbe close at hand to inspect and repair the lubricating system. However, when-the engine is again started, the suction in its intake manifold I will effect closing of'th'e valve 16 so that the engine will only operate until theamount of fuel supplied to the carburetorv C,'as a result of the previous opening of thevalve 16,-.has been consumed, upon which the engine will ag in cease operation and the valve16 will again ,be. free to open/and permit anadditional quantity of fuel to be suppliedto the carburetor.. The operation of the engine canthus be continued indefinitely if necessary, despitev thefact that the valve 15 remains closedas a result offailure of. thelubricating system. The operator will however, reminded andlwarned at relatively shortintervalsby the stopping of theengine and thenecessity for restarting it, that the continued operation .of the engine under such conditions will ultimately result in damage to its. working: parts as-a; result of thelack of proper lubrication" Although- I have hereinshownand. described only one form of fuel control device for engines embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes andimodifications may-be made therein without departing fromthe spirit of theinventi'on and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. In combination withanenginezhaving a lubricant circulatin pump, and: meanslfor supplying fuel to the carburetor, means. for discontinuing the supply of fu'el to the engine when said'pumpfails to circulate sufficient lubricant to prevent daima'ge: to -the working parts aof' the engine, and thereby cause the enginet'o cease operation, andautomatic 'means for rendering the last means ineffective to discontinuethe' supply 0f fuel to: the 2 engine vwhentoporation of the engine hasv ceased sothatv the engine will again be supplied with'fueil for subsequent operation.

2; In combination with an engine havinglza lubricant circulating pump, and means for supplying fuel to the engine, means for discontinuing'the supply of net to the engine when. saidvpu'mp fails to circulate sufl'icient lubricantto prevent damage to theworking parts of the engine, and thereby cause the engine to cease operation, and means responsive tothe absence of engine suction when the engine ceases operationfor -permitting fuel when said pump gine ceases,

to be supplied to the engine for subsequent operation of the engine.

3. In combination with an engine having a lubricant circulating pump, and means for supplying fuel to the engine, means fordiscontinuing the supply of fuel to the engine fails to circulate suflicient damage to the working parts of the engine, and thereby cause the engine to cease operation, and automatic means for permitting fuel to be supplied to the engine when operation of the engine has ceased.

4. A fuel control device for engines comprising means for discontinuing the supply of fuel to an engine when a pump for circulating lubricant to the working parts of the engine fails to circulate suflicient lubricant to prevent damage to the working parts, and automatic means for rendering the first means ineffective to discontinue the supplying of fuel to the engine when operatio'n'o lubricant to prevent the engine has ceased, so as to again permit fuel to be supplied to the engine.

5. A fuel control device for engines comprising means for discontinuing the supply of fuel to an engine when a pump for circulating lubricant to the working. parts of the engine fails to circulate sufficient lubricant to prevent damage to the working parts, and means responsive to the absence of engine suction when the engine ceases operation for rendering the first means ineffective to discontinue the supplyof fuel to the engine when operation of the engine has ceased so as to again permit fuel to be supplied to the engine for subsequent operation.

' 6. A fuel control device for engines comprising means for discontinuing the supply of fuel to an engine when the pump for circulating lubricant to the working parts of the engine fails to circulate sufficient lubricant to prevent damage to the working parts, means normally acting to permit the supply of fuel to the engine, and means for preventing the last means from acting so long as the engine is operating so that when the en ine ceases operation the last'means will be 'ree to permit fuelto be supplied to the engine for subsequent operation.

7. A fuel control devicefor engines comprising means for discontinuing the supply of fuel to an engine when a pump for;c1r-;

culating lubricant to the working parts of the engine falls to circulate sufficient lubrito the Working parts,

cant to prevent damage 7 to permit the supply means normally acting of fuel to the engine, and means responsive to suction createdby the'engine when in 0p 1 eration for preventing the last means from acting, so that 'whenoperation of' the enpermit fuel subsequent operation.

8. A uel control device for engmes comclosed.

the ,last means will be free to to be supplied to the engine for prising a chamber having an inlet adapted for connection to a source of fuel supply,

and a pair of outlets adapted for connection to a carburetor, valves for controlling the outlets, one of which is normally urged to closed position and the other to open posi tion, means responsive to pressure developed by the lubricant circulating pump of an engine for maintaining said one of the valves open so cient lubricant to prevent damage to the working parts of the engine, and means responsive to the action of suction created by the engine when in operation for maintaining said other of the valves closed so long as the engine is operating. I

9. A; fuel control device forengines comprising a chamber having an inlet adapted for connection to a source of fuel supply, and a pair of outlets adapted for connection to a carburetor, valves for controlling the outf lets, one of which is normally urged to closed long as said pump circulates sufliy position and the other to open position, a cylinder adapted for connection to the lubris cant circulating pump of an engine,a piston in the cylinder-operatively connected'to said one of the valves and operable by pressure of said pump to maintain said one of the valves open, a second cylinder adapted for connection to the intake manifold of the engine, and a piston in the second cylinder 0peratively connected to said otherl of the valves and operable by'suction created in the intake manifold when the engine is in oper-j ation to maintain said other of the valves 10. A fuel prising means for discontinuing the supply control device for engines comj of fuel to an engine when a pump for cir'cu- I lating lubricant to the working parts of the engine fails to circulate suflicientlubricant to prevent damage to the working parts, and automatic means for supplying fuel to the engine when the engine ceases to operate as a result of functioning of-the first means, so

as to permit further operation of the engine. 11. A fuel control devic'efor engines comprising means for discontinuing the supply of fuel to an engine when apump' for c1rculatin-g lubricant to the working parts'of.

the engine fails to circulate suficient lubricantto prevent damage and means responsive to the working parts, to the absence ofthe suction of the engine when the'latter'cease's to operate as a result of functioningof the.-

first means, for supplying fuel to the engine v so as .to permit further operation of the latter.

EWIS r. ITUEL. I 

